The Exchange

Phosphine, a toxic gas commonly produced by organic life forms, was recently discovered in the Venusian atmosphere. The Sky Crew returns to discuss how it might have gotten there, and the tantalizing possibility that it is a sign of life on Venus. Closer to home, we discuss how  to get started skygazing in your own backyard and what you can see in the night sky this fall. It's a perfect time to look skyward, and we consider whether satellites and space junk might be getting in the way.

Air date: Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020. 

We discuss the first presidential debate between President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden of the 2020 general election. Among the topics on the agenda, as chosen by moderator and anchor of "Fox News Sunday" Chris Wallace: the candidates' records, the economy, the coronavirus pandemic, the Supreme Court, race and violence in cities, and the integrity of the election.   

Air date: Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2020

Though it has been the subject of debate for decades, school funding is back in the limelight in New Hampshire. The state Supreme Court heard oral arguments last week after four districts sued the state for not funding an adequate education for students. We examine the history and nuances of this discussion and explore how the issue is complicated by COVID-19. 

Air date: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020. 

Find all of our coverage and share your experiences with NHPR's COVID & The Classroom.

The hosts of NHPR's Civics 101, a podcast refresher course on the basics of our democracy, have written a new book, A User's Guide to Democracy: How America Works.  We talk with them about what people should, and often don't, know about American government, and we hear from leaders in NH who are working to improve civics education for students and new Americans. 

Air date: Monday, September 28, 2020. 

New Hampshire's high death rate from COVID-19 in elder-care facilities has exposed gaps in protective gear, testing, and staffing. Improvements have come in some areas but challenges remain. Meanwhile, both the state and federal government recently issued new visitation guidelines to help ease the severe mental and physical health effects of isolation. We examine how these facilities are preparing for this change.

Air date: Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second woman to serve on the highest court and a champion of gender equality, died Friday at the age of 87. Her death was announced by the US Supreme Court, saying the cause was complications from metastatic cancer of the pancreas. 

Monday on The Exchange, we'll discuss Ginsburg's life and legacy. We'll also look at the immediate impact of her loss to the court with a high-profile health care case set to heard in November, and the political debate unfolding over how and when her seat should be filled.

Air date: Monday, Sept. 21, 9 a.m.

Smoke from West Coast wildfires has dimmed our sunshine - could we see extensive fire damage here, and what’s the link to climate change? The New Hampshire Supreme Court heard oral arguments this week in a case that will decide if a list containing the names of more than 250 law enforcement officers with credibility issues should be disclosed to the public. We also find out about inconsistencies in psychological evaluations used in the hiring process at N.H. police departments. We find out about a demonstration at Cathedral Ledge in the Mt. Washington valley. And what will leaf-peeping be like this this fall?

Air date: Friday, Sept. 18, 2020. 

We talk with members of a team formed especially to study disparities in the state's pandemic response. Topmost among their messages, in a report issued this summer: Health has to do with much more than clinical care; it is a matter of housing, schooling, employment -- areas where members of racial and ethnic minority groups have suffered from discrimination. Still, the report proposes some simple starting points toward improving health outcomes. Some have already been set in motion. We look at these, as well as other more long-term goals included in the report. 

Whether remote, hybrid, or in person, back-to-school is a bit more complicated for students with additional needs. We talk with educators and families about how back to school is going for them, as they adapt special education services for the new school normal.

Air date: Wednesday, September 16, 2020. 

As fall hiking season begins, and more people are opting outside than ever, we talk about how to explore the outdoors safely and responsibly, and about ways to enjoy hiking with your family. 

Air date - Monday, September 14, 2020. 

Democratic Congressman Chris Pappas joins us to discuss his campaign for re-election to represent the first congressional district.  We get an update from NHPR education reporter Sarah Gibson on how students, teachers, and parents are adjusting to a new school year under pandemic conditions.  And we talk with longtime Republican party leader Steve Duprey about former governor Stephen Merrill and his political legacy. Merrill died last Saturday, Sept. 5, in his Manchester home at the age of 74.      

We check in on iconic New Hampshire wildlife. Following the death of Mink, the Upper Valley's infamous black bear, we recap her saga and what it demonstrates about human impacts on animals. Also, after a summer of heavy action on our lakes, we find out how loons are faring. And, we meet the state's new moose project leader and check in on the health of our moose population as they face warming winters. 

Air date: Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020. 

On the primary ballot this year: candidates for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor, executive council, state senators and representatives, along with county offices. Among the most closely watched races is the gubernatorial contest, with Democrats Andru Volinsky and Dan Feltes vying to take on Republican Governor Chris Sununu. We'll find out who came out ahead and what it might mean for the November general election. And we'll also check in on how the voting process itself went, with the dramatic increase in absentee voting due to the pandemic.  If you're an election worker or voter, we want to hear from you. How did the day go?  How did it differ from prior years? 

Air date: Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020

The Commission on Law Enforcement Accountability and Transparency has spent the last few months discussing current law enforcement practices in N.H. Now, they've released recommendations for police training, misconduct, and community engagement. We talk with four members of the commission about their biggest takeaways, and what's next. 

Air date: Tuesday, September 8, 2020. 

One hundred years ago, in August 1920, American women won the right to vote, with passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Our earlier conversation looks back at this milestone, how it was achieved, and who it left out. Despite the work and activism of black women for the cause, their voting rights – and those of other minority women – were set aside for many more decades. 

Airdate: Monday, Sept. 7, 2020. This show was originally broadcast on Aug. 12, 2020.

Just days before the September 8 primary, we take a look at themes and issues playing out among campaigns, including for Governor, U.S. Congress, Districts 1 and 2, and U.S. Senate.  We also explore aspects of the final report of the Commission on Law Enforcement Accountability, Community, and Transparency, a group formed by Governor Sununu in the aftermath of George Floyd's killing to examine issues of police training, racial bias, and commmunity relations. And we talk with the editor of The New Hampshire, the student newspaper of UNH, about a recent spike in coronavirus cases on campus and an increase in the number of students quarantined.  

In the fourth and final event in our Live From Home series, The Exchange talked with three mental health specialists about how the pandemic and other stressors of 2020 are impacting our mental health in the every day, and in the long term. We talked about how existing trauma may be exacerbated, and the ways in which people can cope and build resiliency. 

Scroll down to listen to the broadcast version of the show, or watch the video of the full program. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing distress or contemplating suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, call the N.H. Domestic Violence Hotline at 866-644-3574.

Air date: Thursday, September 3, 2020.

We rebroadcast this earlier conversation today. You may have zoomed right by the broad green signs, but stopping for a moment to read a historical roadside marker gives a sense of the depth and complexity of the state’s past. The markers encompass a broad range of N.H. history: Abenaki Native Americans, poets, painters, contemporary sports figures, meeting houses, stone arch bridges, and long-lost villages, as well as factories, cemeteries, and places where international history was made. Any organization or individual can propose a historical highway marker and shepherd it through to reality. We discuss the process leading to the state's latest marker in Dover, honoring John Parker Hale.

Original Airdate: Aug. 18, 2020; rebroadcast Wednesday, Sept. 2

With New Hampshire’s state primary a week away, we look at what we might learn from other states that have already been through a state election with NPR's Miles Parks. We look at what health and safety protocols will be in place at the polls. What questions do you have about election procedures for voting safely during a pandemic, or about the option to mail in an absentee ballot? And once the voting’s over, how long it might take to get the results? 

Airdate: Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020

Minorities have been hit disproportionately hard by COVID-19, and minority-owned businesses have closed at higher rates. We check in with Granite State minority-owned businesses on how they're doing amidst the pandemic and the resulting economic downturn. 

Air date: Monday, Aug. 31, 2020. 

Ahead of the September 8 primaries, we talk with two candidates. Steve Negron, a Republican from Nashua, hopes to challenge incumbent Democratic Congresswoman Annie Kuster in New Hampshire’s second district. And Republican Matt Mayberry hopes to clinch his party’s nomination for New Hampshire’s first Congressional district. And we hear about how one very average N.H. strip mall is riding out the pandemic and what it tells us about the health of our economy.

Air date: Friday, Aug. 28, 2020. 

As we head into fall, K-12 and college students and staff prepare for the new school year. Meanwhile, large events, from bike rallies to weddings, across the country and in New England, have been linked to outbreaks, as summer tourism reaches a peak in New Hampshire. We talk with epidemiologists about where we are now, with testing, tracing, and preparedness, and how to stay safe this fall. 

Air date: Thursday, August 27, 2020. 

Is there a way to combat climate change and keep that furnace in your basement? We learn about green hydrogen and examine if we can use it to take advantage of existing natural gas infrastructure as we wean ourselves off fossil fuels. We discuss the promise and pitfalls of green hydrogen and where these fit in the energy future of N.H. and the country. This program is part of NHPR’s By Degrees climate reporting initiative.
 

Airdate: Wednesday, August 26, 2020

In a pandemic summer, New Hampshire's many lakes have been a refuge to many. But climate change, a drought, and busy lake use have negative impacts on the important habitats of N.H. lakes. We look at efforts to keep lakes healthy, and accessible. 

Air date: Tuesday, August 25, 2020. 

Education reporters describe a back-to-school season like no other. As districts around the country wrestle with what education will look like this fall, reporters are digging into reopening plans and talking with teachers, families, and administrators. We check in with journalists covering this topic, both at the state and national level. 

Air date: Monday, Aug. 24, 2020. 

The Meet the Candidates series continues with Lynne Blankenbeker, Republican candidate for the second Congressional District.  NHPR’s Casey McDermott takes a look at preparations for the September primary and what the state is anticipating. We also visit with State Representative Denny Ruprecht who was tapped as a rising star to be a part of  the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention. And we go to Laconia, to learn about preparations for Laconia Motorcycle Week.

Air date: Friday, Aug. 21, 2020.